Price is one of the "Four P's" - along with product, place (i.e., distribution), and promotion - of the market mix. And as with each of its siblings, getting the price right contributes mightily to business success or failure. Too high a price reduces unit...
Some screenprinting companies are experiencing good growth and margins, while others are struggling to keep the doors open. The question is what are the successful firms doing that those who are struggling are not doing. After some research, we have arrived at the following conclusion,...
Local zoning ordinances and regulations are important considerations when choosing your screenprinting business location. Zoning laws impact several critical business decisions such as purchasing property or making improvements to your existing property, so it is important to understand the laws before you commit to anything,...
This low-budget hobbyist shop requires a minimal investment. It is basically a one-person shop for those with little money, seeking a part-time venture. It will require a lot of work to turn this into a full-time business, as it will be difficult to move up...
This set-up relies on less homemade equipment and more professionally manufactured items. It also offers the capability of handling baseball caps and nylon jackets along with multicolor prints on shirts. The quality of the prints will be better with professional equipment because it is manufactured to...
You should never open a business without having insurance! If you are confused about which types of insurance you need, here are some that you shouldn't overlook. Running any business comes with risks. So it's important that you protect both your business and your personal assets....
Over the years, I have noted many inconsistencies in the various pricing matrices that are in use in the screenprinting technologies, especially in the textile segment. It is standard business practice to set a margin that will meet the costs and produce an amount of...
We frequently stress the critical importance of being able to compare your key financial ratios/percentages against other similar size firms. However, in order to do that it is necessary that everyone be on the same page when comparing percentages for categories such as cost of...
Everywhere you look in your search for those diamonds of information about the screenprinting technologies; you seemingly have two choices; free and cost-based information. Stop for a moment and consider the truth of that statement. Imagine for a moment a glass of water, a commodity that...
Facilities that have comprehensive safety programs in place and that self-audit those programs regularly are typically well-prepared for a surprise government inspection. While there is no guarantee that inspectors won’t find something, it’s far less likely that the inspectors will find multiple problems during their...
Have you ever attended a seminar on business where the talk turned to accounting practices and realized that you have no ideas of what most of the terms being used actually mean? You probably spent most of your time smiling and trying to fake your...
MARKET ANALYSIS Developing a Market Analysis for a new business or new product provides an entrepreneur a better understanding of the size and specific segments of a market, as well as an evaluation to determine if the target market will support the business’ growth plans. The...
Everyone Makes Mistakes in Business The trick is not making those mistakes that put you out of business. As a consultant, I see a lot of mistakes made by business owners. Many of the calls I receive for help come at the last minute, right before...
In performance management, when speaking of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) we often talk about “lagging” and “leading” indicators. But what do they mean exactly? Lagging indicators are typical “output” oriented, easy to measure but hard to improve or influence while leading indicators are typically input oriented,...
It should come as no shock to any screenprint business owner that the organization can only be as effective as the team members. However, there is a big difference in knowing this and actually doing something about it. In this article, we will learn about...
Whether one is the Owner, CEO, office manager, plant manager, or production manager, all good leaders require a number of soft skills to help them positively interact with the team and staff members. Employers seek these skills in the candidates they hire for leadership roles....
Most of us have seen those microscopic photos that are taken of mesh threads and emulsion edges, and even details on printed substrates accompanying articles on screenprinting. Most are taken with USB digital microscopes. They are excellent tools for researchers, engineers, teachers, students, technicians, and hobbyists. Some...
As an International Consultant in the Screenprinting Technologies, I receive a lot of email from would-be screenprinters who are trying to get started in screenprinting. Because I make my email address public, it’s pretty easy to connect with me. However, by the time I hear from...
You may think that the question is silly at first, but there are businesses who do burn money. In accounting, there is a term called "Burn Rate," and you do need to know the meaning of the term to help you better understand your finances....
While many consider the least expensive way or the fastest way, I have observed that the most successful usually consider the best way to accomplish a task. Yesterday, I watched from my desk as my housekeeper cleaned my home, dusting, sweeping, mopping the tile floors, changing...
During my work as a consultant in the screenprinting technologies over the past 40+ years, I have traveled to shops throughout the world and in every phase of the industry. My work is to effectively find and present comprehensive solutions to bring control over the...
Today, I received an email from a past student at the School of Screenprinting and client. He stated that while he was able to produce a One Hit White™, he was not consistent in his efforts: Bill, I achieved a one hit white today on black...
Every screenprinter is faced with myriad problems each day. They come on an almost hourly basis - so often that we don't have time to come up with a proper solution, so we tend to push them aside hoping that they will go away -...
One of the most common questions we hear is, "How do I find a screenprinter in Mexico to handle my large orders?" This usually comes after an exhaustive search of the Internet and finding that contract screenprinters and even textile manufacturers do not exist in...
A few days ago I noted a thread on one of the novice forums about achieving a sufficient deposit of black plastisol ink on a white shirt when printing halftones. Yes, you read that right, the poster was having trouble getting a nice lay down...
A Glossary of Terms used in the Screenprinting Technologies. There are 6,900 entries currently in the glossary and it is still under construction. Your help is appreciated in correcting any misspellings or improving the definitions. You can use your browser's search tool to locate an...
How is anyone, or indeed the world, going to improve if we continue to do what seems to work best for us. Are we only as intelligent as we think? Hmmm? Man would have never become intelligent, and indeed some did not if it were...
While those of us in the screenprinting technologies are accustomed to seeing screenprinting every day in our shops, many are unaware of the myriad uses of screenprinting outside of their particular segment of screenprinting. During a recent golf tournament in which I was coupled with two...